Keurig K Duo Essentials Review

Keurig K Duo essentials is big enough to fit in kitchen, but small enough to not clutter the coffee corner. It’s also large enough to make both single and double cups of coffee, which is great for busy people who have to make multiple cups of coffee at once.

This is a review of Keurig K Duo essentials.

Keurig K Duo essentials is a modern coffee maker that is used to brew one cup or a whole carafe. It has a heating plate, a carafe for keeping the coffee warm for up to 2 hours, and many other exciting features. However, you can also find similar features in other models: K Duo and K Duo Plus.

So, let’s begin!

If you are a beginner and don’t know about using a Keurig coffee maker, then read our guide on how to use a Keurig coffee machine?

Features of Keurig K Duo essentials

Keurig K Duo essentials – Overview 

Keurig launched a new series in 2014 called Keurig 2.0 brewers from K200 to K575. The main advantage of this series over the previous Keurig coffee makers was that it enabled coffee lovers to brew large amounts of coffee up to 30 ounces. 

Keurig 2.0 brewers are also incorporated with a new technology of Barcode scanning. This is done so that only the licensed K -cup pods are used in the machine and the third-party pods will be incompatible.

As these machines were designed to brew 10 cup sizes ranging from 4 to 30 ounces, so they had to provide the following pods to the consumers:

• K cup
• K mug
• K carafe
• K vue

The brand was not able to fulfill the demands and they chose to come back to the original single-serve coffee makers.

However, they offered an extra option to the users in these machines by enabling them to prepare a single cup to whole carafes of coffee. 

Keurig has launched 3 coffee makers in the K Duo range.

As compared to K-Duo, K Duo essentials lack a strength control feature and 6 ounces cup size.

Pros:

• A better system for a delicious and intense coffee.
• Quiet operation.
• Lacks barcode scanning technology so the machine is compatible with – cup and third-party capsules.
• Brewing capacity is from a single cup to a carafe.

Cons:

• Lacks 6 oz cup size.
• The strength control option is also missing.
• Opening of the carafe may leak.
• The water tank is fixed at the back of the machine.
• Lacks a water filter kit.
• 60 ounces of coffee are not much strongly brewed.

Things to consider before buying Keurig K Duo essentials

Read below to know more about its features.

Coffee quality:

Keurig K Duo essentials have superior coffee quality. You can brew small and large cups of coffee at ease. You can enjoy your coffee cup at the touch of a single button. It makes a strong and intense cup with a thorough extraction of the K-cup pods and full flavors.

You can couple the machine with a water filter for the best-tasting coffee.

However, if you want to prepare other coffee beverages like latte, espresso and cappuccino then Keurig K cafe is a good option.

Size:

With a weight of 8.5 pounds, Keurig K Duo essentials is a big coffee maker. It is large than many other Keurig coffee makers. However, if you want to prepare carafes and large mugs of coffee to satisfy your caffeine cravings you will have to make up some space on your kitchen counter for this machine.

It probably takes up more space because of the double functionality of the machine.

Reusable filter:

 This machine lacks a built-in water filter. However, you can buy a filter yourself and use it with the machine. There is a filter kit that contains a charcoal filter fitted in a water filter holder. You can adjust it with Keurig K Duo essentials. It will filter the residue material coming along with the water for the best coffee experience.

Water reservoir:

The water reservoir has a generous capacity of 60 oz. which is good enough for making coffee for a big household. And if you are living alone, then you won’t have to refill the reservoir much often. It can hold water for many coffee cups.

The only drawback of the water reservoir is that it’s in the rear part of the machine. So, it becomes a bit difficult to fill it. But, if you feel frustrated with filling the tank again and again, then Keurig K Duo essentials will do the best job.

Programmability:

Keurig K Duo essentials have a special feature of a heating plate. I just love this feature of the machine. You can just pour your coffee into the decanter and it will keep it warm for you. In this way, you can enjoy your coffee even after some time of brewing it.

The machine is set to auto-turn off after 5 minutes of brewing a cup and shut off after 2 hours. Another best feature of this model is that you can pause and pour the coffee from a carafe. How is that possible? Well, I will explain!

If you are making coffee for a whole household in the carafe, you can stop the machine for 20 seconds in between and pour some coffee from the carafe into the cup. Later, the remaining coffee will be brewed into the carafe. In this way, you will not have to wait for the whole brewing process to complete and you can have your drink mid-way.

Brew sizes:

Keurig K Duo essentials allow you to choose between different cup sizes from a single cup to a carafe. For brewing a 60 oz carafe, you can choose the following cup sizes:

• 8
• 10
• 12

For a single-serve, you can choose from 8, 10, or 12-ounce brew sizes.

You just have to follow some simple steps for brewing a cup. Insert a pod and the machine will heat up immediately. Next, you can choose the cup size and your shot is ready!!

Should you buy Keurig K Duo essentials?

Keurig K Duo essentials will suit you the best if you want to brew coffee from a single-serve to whole carafes

However, this machine lacks a 6 oz brew and a strength control feature. In this case, you can buy Keurig K Duo which has all these functions.

Go for Keurig K Duo Plus if you want to change the position of the water tank for ease of access. It also offers a thermal carafe rather than a glass carafe.

If you are a latte lover or you like espressos and cappuccinos, then Keurig K cafe will do the job.

Alternatives of Keurig K Duo essentials:

Keurig K cafe

You can be used to brew espresso shots or make milk-based drinks like latte and cappuccino with Keurig k cafe. It is compatible with all the k cup pods and has a large removable water tank that has a capacity of 60 oz. You can make 6 cups of coffee in one go.

A distinguishing feature of this model is that it can work at high altitudes up to 5000 feet.

Keurig K Duo

You can brew 6, 8, 10, or 12 cups and 6,8, or 12  ounces of coffee with Keurig K Duo. So, you will get that extra 6 ounces in this machine that were missing in Keurig K duo Essentials. You can couple the coffee machine with a gold-tone mesh filter. It has a water reservoir of 60 ounces and a strong brew.   

Keurig K Duo Plus

This is a drip coffee maker. Keurig K Duo plus offers a strength control feature that is missing in K essentials. You can also change the position of the removable water tank. It can brew 6, 8,10, and 12 cup sizes and also has a stainless steel carafe.

FAQs

What is the difference between K duo and K duo essentials?

The difference between K duo and K duo essentials is that you can not make dripped coffee from Keurig duo essentials. K duo takes the advantage by brewing the extra 6 ounces while K duo essentials can brew 3 cup sizes; 8,10 and 12 ounces.

What K cups are compatible with the Keurig duo essentials?

You can use carafes of 60 ounces and single K-cups with Keurig duo essentials. Reusable k- cups are also available.

Is K-Duo essentials compatible with traveling mugs?

Yes, K duo essentials are compatible with travel mugs. It can hold the traveling mugs with a height of 7 inches.